The present invention relates to a container assembly for housing liquid products and a prize therein which may be distributed with non-prize bearing containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a prize-holding subassembly for insertion into a beverage can which is self-securing and accurately positionable therein.
A device, which delivers a prize on opening a beverage can, has significant promotional advantages. Such a device is described by Howes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,659), but relies on a system which requires that the device be welded, or glued, to the can-lid, and includes springs and other devices. Other proposals have been made, but all rely on some means of fixing the device to the can lid, such as by welding. Welding requires lids with specially-coated undersides, which preclude using the device in conjunction with the normal lids. Since the device must be mixed into the normal production of beverage cans, the need to use special can lids is disadvantageous, since this could provide a clue as to the cans containing prizes.
Additionally, misalignment in known devices can result in the jamming, or non-opening of the can lid, with the result that consumer access is prevented. Failure of the device should not only be rare, but should not prevent that the beverage is accessed and drunk normally.